If you witness a crime, here’s what to do

Witnessing a crime and reporting it can be just as frightening as being the victim of a crime. Here’s what you should do if you witness illegal activity.

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Witnessing a crime and reporting it can be just as frightening as being the victim of a crime. Here’s what you should do if you witness illegal activity.

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A 23-year-old man working at a Modesto bank faces a felony charge of embezzlement after he reportedly lied about someone robbing him of a large amount of cash, police officials announced Monday afternoon.

Along with the embezzlement charges, Philip Ronald Silva has been charged with grand theft and misdemeanor making a false report of a crime, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

Silva worked as a teller at a branch of US Bank in the 3500 block of Tully Road, just north of Standiford Avenue in north Modesto. He was at work on Dec. 31, when he filed a report of a robbery, according to the Modesto Police Department.

Police officials said Silva claimed he was robbed of a large amount of cash, but investigators later learned that Silva’s story wasn’t adding up.

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Investigators served a search warrant and found evidence supporting the charges filed against him, according to police.

The embezzlement and grand theft charges listed in the filed criminal complaint include enhancements that allege that Silva stole property with a value exceeding $950.

Modesto police spokeswoman Sharon Bear told The Modesto Bee that the amount of money embezzled was in the thousands. There were no further details about the investigation released Monday.

Silva was booked at the Stanislaus County Jail on Thursday. He made his first court appearance Monday afternoon. Silva pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on his own recognizance, according to Stanislaus Superior Court records. He’s scheduled to return to court Jan. 23 for a pretrial hearing.

Police officials asked anyone with information about this embezzlement case to call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636.

Rosalio Ahumada writes news stories about criminal court cases in Stanislaus County for The Modesto Bee, issues related to immigration and immigrant communities and breaking news related to crime and public safety. From time to time, he covers the Modesto City Council meetings. He has worked as a news reporter in the Northern San Joaquin Valley since 2004.